Beach Security: 7 Ways to Protect Your Valuables

While the beach may be a place to lie back, relax and while away the day, it’s equally as appealing to pickpockets and petty criminals looking for a quick win.

Whether you’re abroad or nearer to home, don’t let opportunist criminals ruin your trip to the shores. Here are some simple steps you can take to help keep your valuables secure:

The Bare Necessities

Do you need it? Only bring what you need – it may sound obvious, but the fewer valuables you have, the less you will have to worry about!

• If you don’t need your wallet and all your credit cards, then don’t bring them – just take enough cash for the day and keep it in a zip pocket.
• If you’re on your hols, leave your passport and other valuables in the safe back at the hotel.
• Try to keep your tech to a minimum – if you don’t need to phone home or check your newsfeed, take the opportunity to switch off for the day!
• If you do want to take pictures, use a smartphone rather a big, obvious DSLR camera.
• Choose a physical book or magazine over your e-reader or expensive tablet.

Protect Your Tech

If you do need to bring your phone with you, then it’s not just thieves you need to watch out for!

• Get a waterproof cover to avoid liquid and sand damage.
• You can also get relatively cheap waterproof pouches on a lanyard to secure round your neck or wrist, meaning you can take your phone and other small items into the sea to prevent theft, without the risk of damaging them.
• Consider insuring your tech when you go away: travel insurance policies don’t usually include cover for your gadgets, but you can get gadget cover as an add-on or a stand-alone policy.

Beach Safes and Other Security Devices

There are a number of security products on the market designed to protect your possessions on the beach or by the pool, some high-tech and highly-secure:

• Portable lock boxes or beach safes with combination locks, which come in various sizes
• Anti-theft beach bags, which are waterproof, slash proof and can be locked to something sturdy like a sun lounger or fence
• Waterproof dry sacks – similar to the waterproof pouches, but on a bigger scale so you can take all your valuable stuff into the sea

…and some not so:

• Beach towels with a built-in zip pocket
• Storage pouches disguised as beach items such as a sun cream bottle
• You don’t necessarily need to spend money – there are loads of online DIY tips out there for creating your own such as cleaning out an old sunscreen bottle and stowing your valuables inside.

Out of Sight

The most basic level of security is simply stowing your valuables out of sight so that you don’t advertise their existence to opportunists:

• If you go for a swim, cover any unattended valuables with a towel – you could always dig down slightly in the sand to make them less obvious.
• If you take your jewellery or watch off, or when you’re not using your phone or tablet, zip them up inside a pocket or a bag.
• Avoid putting valuables in beach bags with open tops – always keep them zipped up and close by.

Take Your Turn

• When you’re with a group of people, take it in turns to watch over everyone’s property when someone goes for a swim or to the toilet.
• If you’re in group or a couple, keep all your belongings in the centre so they’re less vulnerable to passers-by.
• If you’re on your own or a solo parent, this is obviously trickier to do – if you do choose to trust a stranger to watch over your belongings, get chatting to them first and keep an eye on how they look after their own stuff.

Sit Close to the Lifeguard

Choose a spot near to a lifeguard or tower – while you can’t rely on them to watch over your stuff, their presence could deter would-be thieves from the area.

Don’t Get Distracted

On busy beaches, it’s easy to get distracted – you may run after a passing Frisbee, get sucked into a good book or even fall asleep in the sunshine. Thieves may be looking out for the opportune moment to strike and some may even use distraction techniques to target your stuff, so it’s important to keep your wits about you and keep an eye on what’s going on.

Churchill Security is a national, cross-industry security company. A trusted provider of SIA approved security guards, we can provide you with a tailored security package. Get in touch today to find out more about our security solutions.

As Human Resource Manager, Emma's success within the company are as a result of her focussed work ethic and commitment to employee and clientèle satisfaction. Striving to offer a five star customer service at all times, by keeping a close eye on the security industry Emma uses the experience she has acquired and her friendly personality to deliver a premium sales experience to all those who are important to Churchill Security.